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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Nesbo's detective hero is Harry Hole and he ticks all the tropic boxes. Reformed alcoholic liable to fall off the wagon, maverick, insubordinate, lone wolf. As this is the first Nesbo I have read, I don't know how repetitive all the personal memories Hole has would become by this the 7th (only 5 in translation though) novel in the series. I did get the sense that the other books were being referred to, which always makes the presumption that the reader is reading them in order. As regards to Hole himself, while all the tropes are readily recognisable and Nesbo doesn't do anything new or subversive with them, some of his insights on life are well observed and redeem the more predictable facets of him. As for plot, there are twists and turns at every corner. I have to say every red herring I spotted early and knew they were falsely being offered up as the murderer and to what purpose. I will admit I didn't guess the actual murderer, but I do always get irritated when the killer personally targets the detective and turns it into a game to the death between the two. Whatever happened to stranger murders being investigated by a policeman with no ties to the case? But for all this, the final revelation of the motivation behind the murders was exceptionally well realised by Nesbo. It was thrilling and fiendishly ingenious and I tip my hat to Nesbo for the fiendish profundity of his ideas. The snowman of the title is an infernal motif (given a resonant association with the killer himself) and the crimes themselves joyfully and gleefully rendered by the author.
I think the pacing of this book was very well written and I could picture the characters and location very easily. I could see it as a film/tv series in my head with seeing it's apparently dreadful motion picture adaptation. The main downfall was I found some moments a bit comical and it took me out what for the majority was quite a scary serial killer narrative
Great character development, intricate plot with lots of unexpected twists.
Another writer thinks that women only serve two purposes: kill them or fuck them.
It's just a succession of acts of violence for violence' sake. And then there is some completely unnecessary right-wing political propaganda. I hope other Norwegian crime writers have something better to offer than this.
It's just a succession of acts of violence for violence' sake. And then there is some completely unnecessary right-wing political propaganda. I hope other Norwegian crime writers have something better to offer than this.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes